Brian Higgins
Democratic Representative Brian Higgins Flickr

Democratic State Senator Timothy Kennedy emerged victorious in a New York special election held Tuesday, securing a Buffalo-area congressional seat previously held by Democratic Representative Brian Higgins.

Kennedy won the closely watched campaign to represent the Buffalo region, defeating West Seneca Supervisor Gary Dickinson.

With his win, the Democratic majority in the House now totals 213 members, while the Republican majority remains at 217 with five vacancies.

"We did it. We did it as a COMMUNITY," Kennedy wrote on X. "Because that's what this was all about since Day One. And that's what it will always be about. I'm honored. I'm humbled. I'm ready to get to Washington and get to work."

The district has historically favored Democrats, a trend dating back to Higgins' narrow victory in 2004. In a recent interview, Kennedy -- expecting to seek reelection in November for a full two-year term -- emphasized that his campaign's success highlights the need for a Democratic candidate with "a record of delivering results for the community." In comparison, he said that his Republican opponent "supports a failed former president who's not only indicted but on trial," Politico reported.

"This race is about the future of our country, and I believe every race at the congressional level across America this November is going to be the same," he said in a recent interview. "This is a prelude to what we should expect to see in November."

The path to victory for Kennedy was relatively smooth, with a full-fledged campaign launched promptly following Higgins's retirement announcement. Notably, prominent Democrats withdrew from the contest, leaving Kennedy as the clear front-runner. Dickson's candidacy as a Republican wasn't confirmed until February.

Higgins left his position as congressman of New York's 26th Congressional District in early February, at the age of 64, to take the helm of Buffalo's Shea Performing Arts Center. After 10 consecutive terms, his decision in part influenced by his dissatisfaction with Congress' massive shift in ideologies since he's started working 20 years ago.

"Congress is not the institution that I went to 19 years ago. It's a very different place today," he told the Associated Press in November. "We're spending more time doing less. And the American people aren't being served."

Kennedy's background, rooted in the same Irish enclave as Higgins, hints at a shared cultural foundation that may influence their governance approaches.

He is now gearing up to face off against Nate McMurray, a former Grand Island Town Supervisor, in the upcoming June 25 Democratic primary. Kennedy has sued McMurray, raising questions about the legitimacy of the more than 1,000 signatures on McMurray's election petition, which has escalated tensions.

McMurray denied the claims in the suit.